NEW DELHI: When India was on high alert during Operation Sindoor following the tragic Pahalgam terrorist attack in 2025 that claimed 26 lives, Border Security Force (BSF) tradesmen stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the security establishment. Operating under immense pressure, these cooks, water carriers, and support staff not only prepared vital meals—with some even receiving commendations from senior officers for their exceptional service—but also performed essential support duties.
Today, however, approximately 400 of these BSF tradesmen find themselves fighting an entirely different battle: reclaiming the government jobs they abruptly lost.
According to the Alliance of All Ex-Paramilitary Forces Welfare Association, these personnel were officially selected through a rigorous recruitment process, received formal appointment letters, and were inducted into service during the Prime Minister's Rozgar Melas. Their dismissal subsequently followed a dispute regarding a mandatory National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) Level-1 training certificate requirement.
Victims of Cyber Fraud
The controversy stems from the 2023–24 BSF tradesmen recruitment cycle. An RTI response from the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)—reference number NSDCO/R/E/26/00096—revealed that no certificates were generated on the SIDH portal for the specified courses between 2015 and 2023.
The association contends that the candidates innocently acquired and submitted these certificates online, making them unsuspecting victims of sophisticated cyber fraudsters rather than perpetrators of intentional wrongdoing.
"For many of these personnel, the issue has a financial dimension as well. Several of the affected jawans have taken personal or bank loans of around Rs 5-7 lakh, expecting a stable government career after securing BSF employment. Their question now is simple: if the job is gone, how will the loans be repaid?" said Ranbir Singh, General Secretary of the Alliance of All Ex-Paramilitary Forces Welfare Association.
March to Jantar Mantar
To voice their grievances and demand reinstatement, the affected tradesmen, alongside the welfare association, are organizing a protest march and hunger strike at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 9.
However, the proposed demonstration has run into regulatory hurdles. The New Delhi District Police issued a communication stating that the hunger strike, slated from October 9 to October 10, cannot be permitted for more than one continuous day under existing guidelines. Furthermore, authorities warned that indefinite fasts, fasts unto death, or self-immolation are unlawful and advised organizers to pursue official channels through the ACP and senior police officials, cautioning that legal action may follow if directives are violated.
Despite the setbacks, the dismissed personnel remain hopeful, placing their absolute faith in the government. Through formal representations addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they have appealed for an opportunity to clear their names, return to service, and continue serving the nation.
"The personnel are not seeking confrontation, but justice and reinstatement," Singh emphasized.
